As the science and research around cannabis evolve, we learn more and more about this incredibly potent plant. With support from scientists and plenty of funding, researchers eventually discovered that there was more to the cannabis story than just CBD and THC. In fact, there are an array of cannabinoids present in marijuana, two of which have recently gained more recognition for their medicinal properties. Discover more about the cannabinoids CBDA and CBG, plus the health benefits they can offer.
What is CBDA?
Most cannabinoids originate from CBGA (cannabigerolic acid), which converts into the three main precursor compounds: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). When cannabis plants are exposed to either light or heat, these compounds convert, leading CBDA to become CBD. This process is also known as decarboxylation and yes it’s the same thing you do to your flower when prepping it to make edibles. Of course, nowadays it’s pretty easy to find this cannabinoid on the shelves of smoke shops in capsule, tincture or even topical form. CBDA occurs naturally in both marijuana and hemp plants, but it’s not the only cannabinoid getting attention in recent years.
How does it differ from CBG?
Also known as cannabigerol, CBG is present in many cannabis strains albeit not in large quantities. Cannabis plants make cannabigerolic acid, which as we explained before, later converts into cannabinoids through thermal processing. Think of cannabigerolic acid as the precursor to cannabigerol, and CBG as the mother of all cannabinoids. However, because this cannabinoid is often converted into THC or CBD, breeders need to go to greater lengths (like using genetics and cross-breeding plants) to get larger amounts of it. Nonetheless, both CBG and CBDA offer various health benefits that are encouraging to scientists, breeders, and consumers alike.
Health benefits of these cannabinoids
Although they are less well-known, CBDA and CBG offer promising health benefits.
CBDA potential health benefits include:
- Interacting with the endocannabinoid system to help combat inflammation after injury.
- Influencing serotonin levels in the brain, facilitating the signalling between cells.
- Treating nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients.
- Current research suggests that CBDA may even be suitable for combating depression.
- Also, this cannabinoid may be more effective at treating seizures than CBD.
Potential health benefits of CBG include:
- Helping to treat glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure.
- Decreasing inflammation associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Potential to help combat cancer as it blocks receptors that cause cancer cell growth.
- Antimicrobial properties that may help fight skin infections through topical use.
- Treatment of cachexia (the muscle and weight loss phase of cancer and other diseases).
- Preventing muscle contractions, which can aid treatment of bladder dysfunction.
1 comment
Learned a lot from that